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Hello and Welcome to Jim's Cat House Photo of the month. Do you have an interesting, charming, or funny picture of your cat? If so send it in. I will add new photo every month
Understanding Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever What is Rocky Mountain spotted fever? Rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a disease caused by a rickettsial organism transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), and frequently by other tick species. Who gets Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? In the eastern United States, children are infected most frequently, while in the western United States, disease incidence is highest among adult males. Disease incidence is directly related to the exposure to tick-infested habitats or to infested pets. Most of the cases in New York State have occurred on Long Island. How is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever spread? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is spread by the bite of an infected tick (the American dog tick, the lone-star tick or the wood tick), or by contamination of the skin with tick blood or feces. Person to person spread of RMSF does not occur. What are the symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is characterized by a sudden onset of moderate to high fever (which can last for two or three weeks), severe headache, fatigue, deep muscle pain, chills and rash. The rash begins on the legs or arms, may include the soles of the feet or palms of the hands and may spread rapidly to the trunk or rest of the body. How soon do symptoms appear? Symptoms usually appear within two weeks of the bite of an infected tick. Does past infection with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever make a person immune? One attack probably provides permanent immunity. What is the treatment for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Certain antibiotics such as tetracycline or chloramphenicol may be effective in treating the disease. What can be done to prevent the spread of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Frequent checking of clothing and skin when in infested areas is extremely useful in reducing potential incidence of disease. Tick repellents applied to legs and clothing may be helpful to prevent tick attachment. Due to the nature of American dog ticks, local populations may be effectively controlled with applications of pesticides to vegetation along trails; mowing grass frequently in yard and outside fences also helps to reduce tick populations. How should a tick be removed? To remove an attached tick, grasp with tweezers or forceps as close as possible to attachment (skin) site, and pull upward and out with a firm and steady pressure. If tweezers are not available, use fingers shielded with tissue paper or rubber gloves. Do not handle with bare hands. Be careful not to squeeze, crush or puncture the body of the tick which may contain infectious fluids. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash hands. See or call a physician if there is concern about incomplete tick removal. It is important that a tick be removed as soon as it is discovered. Check after every two to three hours of outdoor activity for ticks attached to clothing or skin. If removal occurs within three hours after attachment, the risk of tick-borne infection is reduced. Please if you live in areas where there are ticks, check your children, your animals and yourself every day when you come inside. All it takes is one tick. The day that my husband found the tick on him, I found one on myself and one on my Dooley. We could have all been infected but only my husband was because he was the only one actually bitten. If you have any questions about this disease that I not answered please write me and I will try to find the information for you. You can also contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA (404) 639-3311 (CDC Operator); (800) 311-3435 (CDC Public Inquiries) or at their website: http://www.cdc.gov/ ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER - thrive@health Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Symptoms
Ever wonder what your cat may be thinking?
Cat Commandments Thou shall not jump onto the keyboard when thy human is on the modem. Thou shall not pull the phone cord out of the back of the modem. Thou shall not unroll all of the toilet paper off the roll. Thou shall not sit in front of the television or monitor as thou are transparent. Thou shall not projectile vomit from the top of the refrigerator. Thou shall not walk in on a dinner party and commence licking thy butt. Thou shall not lie down with thy butt in thy human's face. Thou shall not leap from great heights onto thy human's genital region. Fast as thou are, thou cannot run through closed doors. Thou shall not reset thy human's alarm clock by walking on it. Thou shall not climb on the garbage can with the hinged lid, as thee will fall in and trap thyself. Thou shall not jump onto the toilet seat just as thy human is sitting down. Thou shall not jump onto thy sleeping human's bladder at 4a.m. Thou shall realize that the house is not a prison from which to escape at any opportunity. Thou shall not trip thy humans even if they are walking too slow. Thou shall not push open the bathroom door when there are guests in thy house. Thou shall remember that thou are a carnivore and that houseplants are not meat. Thou shall show remorse when being scolded.
Amazing Animal Facts The Cat Cats are now the most popular pets in the United States. In 1993 there were an estimated 64 million cats in the U.S. That means that there was at least one cat in 33% of American households! And why not? Contrary to the uninitiated, cats are highly intelligent. They CHOOSE not to come when you call them. "Only a lowly dog would do that!" Cats do things on their own terms. They are impossible beasts to comprehend if you have never lived with one. (I don't say "owned" because it is not possible to "own" a cat!) I give you the most regal of all beasts
Worlds Fattest Cat The worlds fattest cat was a neutered male tabby named "Himmey" When Himmey died of respiratory failure he weighed a whopping 46 lbs 15.5 ounces! He had a 15 inch neck, was 38 inches long, and had a 33 inch waist. A note to the reader: As a Veterinary student I would be remiss if I did not address this issue. Obesity is the greatest health problem facing pets. It causes a myriad of diseases and health problems that are detrimental to your pets comfort and life span. Responsible pet owners follow their Veterinarians feeding instructions. For more information go to NETVET.
Worlds Smallest Cat The worlds smallest cat is a male blue point Himalayan-Persian named "Tinker Toy." He is just 2.75 inches tall and 7.5 inches long! I can't find any information on "Tinker Toy's" weight. Can anybody help me?
The Worlds Oldest Cat The oldest age that a house cat has attained and has been reliably documented is the case of a female tabby named "Ma." She lived to the ripe old age of 34!
Worlds Most "Prolific" Cat A tabby named "Dusty" gave birth to 420 documented kittens in her lifetime. Let's hope that nobody else attempts this record. Like Bob Barker says, "Have your pet spayed or neutered!"
Largest Litter The largest litter was produced by a Burmese\Siamese mother. There were 19 kittens. However, 4 of the kittens were stillborn.
World's Largest Feline The largest feline ever recorded is a captive Siberian tiger named "Jaipur." He is 10 feet 11 inches long and weighs 932 lbs! "Jaipur" lives is New Jersey.
Oldest Feline Mother The oldest feline (domestic kitty) mother was the originally named "Kitty." In 1987, she gave birth to two kittens at the age of 30 years. She died at the age of 32 after having a total of 218 documented kittens. Please...please...please...people! Have your pets spayed and neutered. Help put an end to the suffering of future generations of animals.
World's Greatest Cat Currently, the King of Cats is a neutered male, Siamese/Tabby mix named "Rabies." He lives with Brian J. Dawson in Lansing, Michigan. He was crowned King of Cats following the death of the former King, "Dude."
Did you know... ...that while the cheetah is the worlds fastest land animal it is also the only cat that can't retract its claws? ...that a tigress shot in India was reported to have killed and eaten 436 people between 1906-07? ...that when cats are "declawed" they are actually having their 3rd phalanx removed? It is the equivalent of you having your fingers cut off at the 3rd knuckle.
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